FDA COVID-19 Recommendations and Policy Changes Applicable to the Wine Industry

The FDA recently briefed food manufacturing stakeholders focusing on COVID-19 pandemic recommendations and policy changes regarding food facility operations during the continuing COVID-19 public health challenge. The FDA noted that here has been no evidence of the transmission of the COVID-19 virus to humans from food or food packaging. Here are the takeaways and immediate impacts for the wine industry:

• Wine is considered a food product under the Food Safety Modernization Act.
• Food products do not have to be placed on-hold or recalled if an employee at a food facility is diagnosed with COVID-19.
• Personal hygiene as well as facility, equipment, and utensil cleaning and sanitization procedures that are required under Food Safety Modernization Act GMPs are expected to still be appropriate amid this crisis.

For more detailed information about this briefing, please visit this link.